Harper had four invitations to have dinner elsewhere, but she instead invited Nabor Perez, who cleans her house, and his wife and two of their children.

“I’d rather do this,” Harper said. “It makes me feel good.”

She still lives by herself with her siamese cat, Suzzie. She does her own laundry and takes care of her banking, even though she’s legally blind.

Harper was born in Austria and moved to America in 1914 — six weeks before World War I. She’s lived in Rockford since 1971, and her husband, David, died 14 years ago.

“The only degree I’ve ever had is a C.S. — Common Sense,” she said with a wink.

She invited the Perez family, not only because they’re friends, but for another simple reason: “Because they’re hungry,” she said.

Thursday’s meal was the first Thanksgiving dinner the family had around a dinner table, said Melinda Perez, Nabor’s wife.

“It makes me really happy because I love her like a mother,” Melinda Perez said.

She described Harper as generous and kind, and was thrilled to see her family around the dining room table, laughing and eating good food.

“Everything was good — I look at her like my mother,” Nabor Perez said.

The kids, Raymundo, 12, and Orlando, 15, ate Kentucky Fried Chicken instead of Harper’s drumsticks, and then filled up on pie.

They all sat around the dinner table, with Harper’s friend, Ursula Flower, like a family. Harper has lots of stories to tell — she’s traveled all over and held several jobs over the years. She’ll be 102 on Dec. 16.

Harper only has one child, but brags about her six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

Her trick to staying young also came out in a medical study: Always get at least eight hours of sleep.

“I could have told them that if they could have come here,” Harper said.